There are not enough Italian Roundels!!!

I always liked the Bulgarian addition to Italy.  Those 4 Inf are useful, but it sort of commits Italy to covering Romania for German advances in the North which generally means a stream of Mech coming from N.Italy to Romania.

transports do not count as warships

Interesting idea and I have seen the Italians land in Syria and make a very big nuisance of themselves in the region. I am just wondering what turn you plan on dropping off your expeditionary force? It seems like you intend for a turn 3 (best case scenario) sneak into Syria an moving from there. If so then I woulnt worry too much about the South African IC as a German sealion would make it useless. While the Med. is war zone unto itself never lose sight of the greater Axis victory plan. Whatever Italy does it should be a facet of the over all Axis strategic aim.

The US does not have enough income to represent its realistic capablities
A real problem is that its a power that relies exclusively on transports to get to the action (japan also, but japan can build ICs on the coast, USA cant build ICs anywhere worthwhile)
Transports that need a fleet to protect them.

The best thing that could be done to help the US is to give them some extra infantry in the mainland. To ease the burden of having to buy so many high cost units.
Maybe like 4-8 more infantry.
The US really didnt have a manpower shortage, and the draft had already begun by 1940.

The 4-8 infantry would allow the US to maybe buy another bomber and Cruiser over the course of the first few turns, while still able to fill its transports.
I always feel the US shows up in a theatre with 3 units too few to really scare the axis player. They show up with enough that the axis can attack, and trade away planes for boats.
Setting back the US by a little, and the axis by a little more.
When in reality, the US should show up and the axis be very afraid to attack the US transports and fleet, and have to use its air units defensively. So that by turn 6 or so the US is the major allied agressor on the board. Not just the boogyman.

And to answer your question, a lot of people don’t do SeaLion b/cuz it’s not always a guaranteed thing. Depends on what the UK does. If the UK makes it as difficult as possible, then most likely the Germans can take it still but it might be a little dicey and leave them vulnerable to the Russians. If the UK makes it easier then the Germans will be more likely to do a SeaLion. I don’t think a successful SeaLion always means an Axis victory.

Gargantua,

This tactic does sound like it can hurt the Russians.  I have been able to sack Moscow as Germany in the games I played but it is very hard and I don’t always succeed.  There have been other games where I died in the Russian Winter.

I don’t think I could use the Italian aircraft against the opponent I play because he is usually pretty adamnent about reducing Italy to next to nothing before he strikes anything else.  On UK1 he sinks half of my Italian fleet.  Which hurts a lot but the main problem is the US fleet he pulls out of the Pacific and sends into the Med along with some subs and transports to end Italy’s war efforts in Africa.  Meanwhile he flys fighters to Hawaii and transports Infantry there.  It would still be possible to take out Hawaii as Japan but would take a lot of resources for very little economic gain.

I have countered by trying to win the game as Japan and I have killed India J3 with the purchase of the Hainan Naval base.  Yet even then by the time I set my sights on the last victory city Italy has been stomped to irrelevant and the US is back in the Pacific.

One step ahead of you.  More units for Germany, less for Russia, weaker US NO, and no more Anzac capturing the Carolines for the US, or UK/US threatening Berlin via seizing Denmark to open the straight.  Let me know if I missed anything major, I’m gonna go beat my head against the wall for a bit.

edit Russian Minor IC in Ukraine…interesting, and at least he removed the German initial Barbarossa territory grab N.O.  Overall though, seems to have strengthened the Axis slightly while weakening the Allies slightly.  I guess he went with what made the majority of players happy, can’t say I blame him.

I had introduced an error in my Italian roundels (I had my Red and Green swapped).  Reposted via above link.

-Boxcars